Dance Camp at Sea IV

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Everyone knows what going on a cruise is all about: relaxation, fun in the sun (if the destinations are southern enough), food, dress-up, entertainment, and generally being treated like royalty. And, oh, let us not forget-DANCING!

But what is a Dance Camp? Many of us have had the opportunity to participate and benefit from this wonderful learning experience. Think of sending your child, your favorite child (yourself), to summer camp. This particular camp is full of interesting people, all with a major common interest, and counselors who are among the best in the world. You have the prerogative to participate as much or as little as you like in an endeavor you enjoy now, but feel you can enjoy more and more as you learn to be better and better at it. All levels of ability and experience are allowed to group together, under the tutelage of one of these world-class counselors, in an activity selected from a menu meant to cover the full scope of available dishes and cuisines. Now think of ballroom dancing with International and American styles of Smooth, Standard, Rhythm, and Latin, and you have a Dance Camp. The emphasis is on having as much learning activity available to you as you could want, but with your election to participate.

What Classically Ballroom has made available from January 3 – 10, 2009, is a combination of these two very compatible activities.

The cruise is aboard the ms Oosterdam of the Holland America Line, one of the newest and most up to date ships of its kind, commissioned in 2003. This seven (7)-day voyage to the Mexican Riviera departs from San Diego, California at 5:00 p.m. on January 3, with stops in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico before returning to San Diego at 7:00 a.m. on January 10.

From the moment you step on board and a gracious white-gloved steward escorts you to your stateroom, you’ll experience this ship’s five-star service and find out why Holland America has been voted the Best Overall Cruise Value for fourteen years running. With staterooms an average of 25 percent larger than those of other ships in the same class, and uncrowded public rooms graced with commissioned art and intriguing antiques, this ship gives a sense of warm, casual elegance.

The Dance Camp will have five of the most knowledgeable and experienced instructors available today. Jean-Marc Genereux and France Mousseau are 10 time Canadian Professional Champions, 4 time North American Professional Champions, 2 time Asian-Pacific Professional Champions, 2 time winners of the “Challenge of the Continent, and winners of the Latin section, while placing 3rd overall, in the World 10 Dance Championships. Now retired from competition, they are among the most sought after performers, coaches, and competition judges in North America today. And while Jean-Marc and France were both featured in all their glory with Vanessa Williams in the movie “Dance with Me”, Jean Marc was also a head case, I mean a head liner, in “Shall We Dance” with Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez. Look for him in the credits as the “Smarmy Old Man.” Alain Doucet and Anik Jolicoeur are five time World 10 Dance Champions, as well as having won more than 30 other Championships in Canada and the rest of the world. Having recently retired from competition, they are now able to tour, coach, and judge more frequently. Jim Brady has taught all over the United States since 1961, and is the developer of the newest and best teaching tool ever created for learning to lead and follow in partnership dancing- The Dance Frame. A video describing its benefits and uses can be seen on Showtime Dance Shoe’s web site at SHOWTIMEDANCESHOES.COM and on DanceVision’s web site at DANCEVISION.COM.

There will be four sessions each day for six of the seven days onboard the ship, for a total of 24 sessions. Each session will concentrate on combining critical technique with flair and style in a given dance, for each individual level of ability from beginners to advanced competitors.

With this kind of format, no one has to come with his or her own partner for the classes – although you may want to bring a partner for the ship’s many evening activities. The booking agents can even help with those who need someone with whom to share a cabin, or arrange a single cabin at a somewhat higher cost.

There have been many cruises with dancing as a part, but they have tended to concentrate almost exclusively on the social side of dancing. Therefore, either the number of participants had to be restricted (usually due to an imbalance of men to women), or the prices had to increase due to the cost of recruiting partners whose cost of passage had to be shared by all. One such cruise available today is priced at more than twice this one, and another, while priced at only sixty per cent more, is restricted to no more than thirty-five people. Both of these examples have dramatically less actual instruction. Classically Ballroom decided to emphasize the instruction with twenty-four sessions taught by world-class teachers, and let the many great amenities, services, and already planned night time events of the ms Oosterdam take care of the social experience.

As if all this isn’t enough, if you want private coaching from anyone of these topnotch professionals, it can be arranged as well. Availability of times will be limited, however, due to the number of sessions already planned. The cost of this private instruction is separate and arranged by appointment.

The prices for the cruise, including the dance camp, start at $1099.00 per person for an inside large K-class cabin, and gradually go up to the Deluxe Verandah Suites that start at $2,249.00 per person. Non-dance camp companions of the dance camp participants may book at reduced prices.

For more information on the dancing, call Jim Brady at 336-884-8185 or email

To book the cruise, call Barbara Schanker at 336-557-5543 or email

Let's Dance! Call us now at 1-336-557-5543